I'm regularly surprised by how many music fans are not familiar with John Prine. He is probably the king of singer-songwriters blending humor and melancholy. If you are a fan of people like Todd Snider, Fred Eaglesmith, or Hayes Carll, it's pretty much a requirement that you know Prine. Otherwise it would be like being a fan of Oasis or The Redwalls and not knowing The Beatles, a fan of The Whigs or The Deadstring Brothers and not knowing The Rolling Stones, or a fan of Grand Champeen or The Goo Goo Dolls and not knowing The Replacements. His fellow musicians have realized his greatness and he's been widely covered. Next to many of the songs I've indicated some of the people who have released a cover of the song so you can see what an extensive list it is.

To assist anyone who is lacking Prine in their life, I've put together a mix. But with his vast catalog, there are still so many great songs, which you should hear, that are not included. If you choose to buy just one Prine album -- that isn't a compilation album -- the only real choice is his self-titled one. John Prine is among the finest debut albums by anyone, maybe even the finest.

If you want to know more about John, one of the best fan sites out there (for any artist) is the John Prine Shrine

You can download my mix here
01. Ain't Hurtin' Nobody [from Lost Dogs & Mixed Blessings]
02. Angel From Montgomery [from John Prine] (possibly Prine's most famous song, due to it being covered by Bonnie Raitt; though it’s since been covered by others)
03. Maureen, Maureen [from Aimless Love]
04. Please Don’t Bury Me [from Sweet Revenge]
05. Daddy's Little Pumpkin [from The Missing Years; cowritten with Pat McLaughlin] (covered by Josh Ritter)
06. Speed of the Sound of Loneliness [from German Afternoons] (most famously covered by Nanci Griffith)
07. Sam Stone [from John Prine] (covered by Evan Dando and Al Kooper, among others)
08. Souvenirs [from Diamonds in the Rough; cowritten with Steve Goodman] (covered by Paul Westerberg and Bettye LaVette)
09. Christmas In Prison [from Sweet Revenge and A John Prine Christmas] (covered by Petty Booka, who also did a more expected cover of Prine's Let's Talk Dirty in Hawaiian)
10. In Spite of Ourselves [from In Spite of Ourselves] (a duet with Iris DeMent; covered by Geoff Berner)
11. Fish & Whistle [from Bruised Orange] (covered by Joe Brown, among others)
12. Common Sense [from Common Sense]
13. Crooked Piece of Time [from Bruised Orange] (covered by Todd Snider)
14. Unwed Fathers (with Rachel Peer-Prine) [from Aimless Love; cowritten with Bobby Braddock] (possibly my favorite Prine cover is this song by Tim & Mollie O'Brien, though others covering it include Johnny Cash and Tammy Wynette)
15. Paradise [from John Prine] (covered by Johnny Cash on one of his last albums; also covered by John Denver, The Everly Brothers, Dwight Yoakam, and many others)
16. All The Best [from The Missing Years]

I've decided to take a break from ranting futilely about social injustices to look for songs that mention moving or leaving home. This is what I have so far.

John Denver - Leaving on a Jet Plane
The Beatles - She's Leaving Home
Elton John - Rocket Man
Led Zeppelin - Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You
Santogold - L.E.S. Artistes
Mirah - Cold Cold Water
Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out of This Country
Goldfrapp - Caravan Girl
Leonard Cohen - Famous Blue Raincoat
Patrick Wolf - The Railway House


I'm too tired to try to think of any more, and I would like to see what other people come up with. Please suggest some

Songs mentioned in Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs [preview here] (this list will make the best sense to you if you read along in the book... and some of these are mentioned as being good songs, so read the book before getting upset):

Bad Song Survey Results
Winners:
1. MacArthur Park
2. Yummy Yummy Yummy (I Got Love In My Tummy)
3. (You're) Having My Baby
4. Timothy

then (in a clump):
Afternoon Delight
You Light Up My Life
Y.M.C.A.
Achy Breaky Heart
Muskrat Love
Honey

other songs mentioned:
MacArthur Park
Love to Love You Baby
Chewy Chewy
Sugar, Sugar
Simon Says
Yummy, Yummy, Yummy
Golden Throats: The Great Celebrity Sing Off (album)
Diana
Puppy Love
You Are My Destiny
My Way
Escape
Him
Tutti frutti
Do That to Me One More Time
Love Will Keep Us Together

The Bobby List:
Bobby Vinton - Mr. Lonely, Roses Are Red
Bobby Vee - Take Good Care Of My Baby, Rubber Ball
Bobby Rydell - Wild One, Volare
Bobby Sherman
Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry, Be Happy
Bobbie Gentry - Ode to Billie Joe
Bobby's Girl
Bobby Sox to Stockings
Me and Bobby McGee and Me and Bobby McGee (I Honestly Love You, Have You Never Been Mellow, Let's Get Physical)
When the Red, Red, Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along
Bobby Goldsboro - Honey, See the Funny Little Clown, Watching Scotty Grow

other songs mentioned after The Bobby List:
In the Ghetto
Stop and Smell the Roses
One Hell of a Woman
Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me
Woman, Woman
Young Girl
This Girl Is a Woman Now
In the Year 2525
I've Never Been to Me
Seasons In The Sun
Jean
A Horse With No Name
Wildfire

honorable mentions:
The Candy Man
I Am Woman
My Ding-a-ling
My Sharona
Morning Train (Nine to Five)
The Night Chicago Died (Billy, Don't Be A Hero/Billy, Don't Be a Hero)
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is (Saturday in the Park, 25 or 6 to 4)
Disco Duck
Playground in My Mind
Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree
Signs
American Woman
I Love You Period
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
Wind Beneath My Wings
Norman

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Stairway to Heaven
Layla/Layla ((Unplugged))
Free Bird
American Pie
Taxi
A Whiter Shade of Pale
Another Brick in the Wall
Hey Jude

Ten Request Songs That Top 40 Bands Hate Most
1. Stairway to Heaven
2. Proud Mary
3. Louie Louie
4. Stairway to Heaven
5. Proud Mary
6. Free Bird
7. Stairway to Heaven
8. Feelings
9. Stairway to Heaven
10. Stairway to Heaven

Requests Most Hated By Bands Performing At Wedding Receptions
1. New York, New York
2. Cab Driver not sure if this is the one mentioned or not
3. New York, New York
4. Mack the Knife
5. Joy to the World
6. The Girl From Ipanema
7. In the Mood
8. New York, New York
9. Bad Bad Leroy Brown
10. New York, New York

Weenie Music
Feelings
Sometimes When We Touch
Elusive Butterfly

Barry Manilow:
- Mandy
- Looks Like We Made It
- Copacabana (At the Copa)
- I Write the Songs

John Denver:
- Annie's Song
- Sunshine on My Shoulders

David Cassidy
- I Write the Songs

Donny Osmond
- Puppy Love
- Too Young
- The Twelfth of Never

Gilbert O'Sullivan
- Alone Again (Naturally)

All By Myself
(You Left Me) Just When I Needed You Most

Bread
- Diary
- If
- Baby I'm-a Want You

Climax

- Precious and Few

Love Songs
(They Long to Be) Close to You
Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head
Wives and Lovers
Magic Moments
Abracadabra (Take the Money and Run,The Joker)
My Eyes Adored You
Girl Watcher
Tonight's The Night
Knock Three Times

Paul McCartney
- Silly Love Songs
- My Love
- I'm Down
- Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
- Listen to What the Man Said
- Let 'Em In
- Live and Let Die

The Girl Is Mine
Do the Clam
All Shook Up
backfield in motion

Songs Women Really Hate
Dreams of the Everyday Housewife
Dreams of the Everyday Housewife
Little Green Apples
Little Green Apples
Take A Letter, Maria
Take a Letter, Maria
Take This Job and Shove It
Wives and Lovers
It Must Be Him
I Will Follow Him
It's My Party
Judy's Turn to Cry
Johnny Get Angry
I Am Woman
He Hit Me (It Felt Like a Kiss)
We Gotta Get You a Woman
Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town
Islands in the Stream
Treat Her Like a Lady
To All The Girls I've Loved Before
She's Always a Woman
Girls Grow Up Faster Than Boys
Don't Say Nothin' Bad

Teen Death Songs
Teen Angel
Last Kiss
Tell Laura I Love Her
Leader of the Pack
Patches
Running Bear
Laurie (Strange Things Happen)

Songs People Get Wrong
Help Me Rhonda
Elton John
James Brown
Al Kooper
Blinded by the Light
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Good Morning Starshine
Danke Shein
Billie Jean
A Whiter Shade of Pale
Lady Marmalade
I Am The Walrus
Annie's Song
"I'm Nothing but a Hound Dog" (Hound Dog)
"One Toe over the Line, Jesus" (One Toke Over the Line)
"Goombayah, My Lord" (Kumbaya)
"Shimmy Shimmy Cocoa Pops" (Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko-Ko Bop)
"She Wore a Yellow Polka Dot Beguine" (Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini)
"Anagotalavita" (In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida)
"The Wrapper" (The Rapper)
"Woodchuck Love" (Muskrat Love)
"Ain't No Woman Like the One-Eyed Gott" (Ain't No Woman (Like The One I've Got))
"One Ton Tomato" (Guantanamera)

Conclusion
Mac Davis
Ball of Confusion
Wayne Newton
Georg Friedrich Händel
My Sharona

I have been thinking about this a lot recently, probably because at the music shop I'm working at this summer there is A LOT of vinyl, and almost every one of my co-workers still hordes vinyl. So: what's the big deal???

PROS:
-Supposedly there is better sound quality.
My response: Back in November I bought 6 brand new LPs (not used LPs) and listened to them on my dad's phonograph. They did not sound "warmer," as everyone says. I did not notice any difference at all! And actually there was quite a bit of crackling, which was quite annoying. And yes I was listening with a nice set of speakers, not tinny little iPod headphones.
-Lots of rare obscure and weird LPs from long long ago have not been reissued on CD, so if you like to listen to weirdo obscure rare music from long long ago I guess LPs are for you. I guess also this has to do with the "culture" of "crate digging" at thrift stores, garage sales, and independent records stores. Which admittedly has lead to some great artists:
-Without Vinyl there would be no DJ Shadow, Mix Master Mike, DJ QBert, Rob Swift, Cut Chemist, X-Ecutioners, and related turntablists.
-If you're living on a budget vinyl is usually cheaper. Especially used vinyl. Usually it's only 1 or 2 bucks at a thrift store or a record store. The one I work at, for example, recently had used vinyl by these artists for under 2 bucks: The Beatles, Elton John, Steve Martin, Stevie Wonder, The Carrs, John Denver, Talking Heads, and tons of other well-known (and obscure) artists.
-If you like rare b-sides and like to collect them, lots of artists sell vinyl with exclusive bonus tracks on them.

CONS:
-As above, Crackling.
-It is not easy to get vinyl onto your ipod. You have to buy some fancy equipment and software, or find a shop in your city that will digitize vinyl, usually at a fee.
-Environmentally unfriendly. Due to the largeness of a new vinyl record, there's much more shrink wrap on a new LP than a new CD.
-Easily damaged by water and mold and environmental pests. (CDs can be washed with soap and water to clean them)
-DJs (like party DJs not ones like DJ Shadow) have a much slimmer selection of what they can take with them to a party. I was reading an interview with Peanut Butter Wolf and he said that in order to really cater to the feel of a room of people you need to have a much wider selection of songs to play to get them having a good time, and that's where laptops and MP3s come in.

So although there are 5 pros and 5 cons up there, I am still anti-vinyl because I love my iPod and I love being able to have tens of thousands of songs at my convenience. If you encode your MP3s with Apple's AAC and import at a higher bit rate like 256 or 320 I swear to god the quality is just as good as what I heard from the vinyl I bought in November, and there's no crackling! Also, a lot of the so-called sound quality drawbacks of MP3 are caused by the shitty quality of iPod headphones and even shittier cheapo 5 dollar headphones sold by Walgreens. Buy a nice pair of headphones and you really won't be able to tell the difference between vinyl and CDs/MP3s.

Thu 3 Jul – Leonard Cohen, Christian Kjellvander

Livet kan delas upp i två delar: före- och efter Leonard Cohen-konserten. Hur ska någonting i livemusikväg kunna imponera på mig i fortsättningen? I framtiden behövs det smärre underverk, såsom att den framlidne John Denver plötsligt skulle få för sig att börja leva igen och därefter påbörja en världsomspännande turné; i övrigt ser jag inte hur någon musikupplevelse ska toppa torsdagens melodiösa tretimmarsorgasm.

Trots pissplatser. Trots att en butchflata och en tjockisbreeder till karl hade högljudd torrknull under extranumret. Trots att tre merch-månglare underförstått tyckte jag var fetlagd eftersom de försökte trycka på mig t-shirtar i storleken XL. Trots fasansfullt dåligt arrangemang av parkering, vilket gjorde att resan ut från själva området säkerligen tog en timme. Trots allt detta så var kvällen fullkomligt sagolikt; en känsla av att man i tre timmar fick ynnesten att uppleva Gud på en svensk scen. Att det bästa musik-Sverige nu kan prestera, Christian Kjellvander, dessutom agerade förband gjorde ju inte kvällen sämre direkt.

Ögonen var inte torra många minuter. Mäster körde i stort sett alla låtar jag ville höra, undantaget Chelsea Hotel #2, och den snart sjuttiofyraåriga gubben har aldrig gjort det bättre än där och då, Sofiero Slottsträdgård 3/7 -08!

Sällan har en hundramilaresa varit mer värd! Leonard Cohen skulle ha kunnat gå upp på scenen och fisit på en virveltrumma för att därefter åka hem igen, och det ohemult höga biljettpriset på dryga åttahundringen hade fortfarande varit värt - nu höll han, som sagt, hov i närmare tre timmar! Magiskt! Himmelskt! Det är nästan så man måste hitta på helt nya superlativ eftersom svenska språket inte räcker till för att beskriva!

Det här var en kväll jag kommer minnas även när jag ligger med fullt utvecklad alzheimers och kallar undersköterskan för mamma. Och om jag, mot all förmodan, skulle glömma så har jag två tröjor som åminnelse. Just nu har switchie the kidd ett Tjuren Ferdinand-moment: Han är såååå lycklig!

The upcoming Menn Ársins album (scheduled in August/September) is just about to be finished.

We just go the mastered songs back from the mastering engineers last week and they sound great!

Track list:
Allt að gerast
Augun Opnast
Mary Kelly
Running a Motorway
Póstkort